Brands That Made Cool Comebacks

10 Brand Comebacks That Will Inspire You To Never Give Up

Remember how Dr. Martens boots were worn by an edgier, punk rock crowd? The iconic boots are now more mainstream than ever — hugging the feet of festivalgoers and fashionistas of all kinds. Or think about Apple's return — one of the greatest comeback stories of all time.

Perhaps you'd be surprised to know that some of your favorite brands are only successful today because they stuck it out through hard times — making extensive rebranding efforts and sometimes even overcoming bankruptcy.

Birkenstock

“That silhouette was universally considered ugly,” said Vogue.com contributorKatherine Bernardin this 2013 article. The German orthopedic sandal experienced a style renaissance in the past few years — getting adopted by fashion insiders and style-conscious people across the world.

And just like that, Birkenstocks became trendy. Maybe the brand's longevity (it's over 200 years old) proves that despite fashion trends coming and going, comfort will always be in style.

Polaroid

It would've made sense for Polaroid to bite the dust as soon as the first digital cameras started taking over the market.

According to TIME, the company did go through almost a decade of legal battles and bankruptcy proceedings before making a comeback as a lifestyle brand.

In 2015, Polaroid launched four playful gadgets: the Cube and the Zip — a mini camera and a mobile printer — and the iZone and Socialmatic smart cameras. The brand made famous by the iconic OneStep camera repositioned itself as a company that offers cool tech toys to enhance your photo-taking experience in the digital age.

Vuarnet

Columbia Pictures

In 2014, after 14 years of absence, the French luxury eyewear brand returned to the U.S. by relaunching its classic Vuarnet 002 style — the one worn by famous skiier Jean Vuarnet when he won the gold medal at the 1960 Winter Olympics.

And James Bond donning a pair of Vuarnet Glacier vintage shades in Spectre certainly didn't hurt the brand's comeback on American soil.

Apple

Getty Images

This list would not be complete without the mention of Apple.

In 1985, Steve Jobs was fired from the company he founded. He returned to Apple in 1997. In the years that followed, Jobs proceeded to resurrect the brand: He accepted an infusion of $150 million from rival Microsoft in order to make Microsoft Office and Internet Explorer available on the Macintosh, expanded product offerings beyond computers and opened Apple stores. The rest is history.

Marvel

Marvel Studios

Even if you didn't grow up reading comics, you probably got enthusiastic about blockbuster hits such as The Avengers or Guardians of the Galaxy. Marvel has become a pop culture mainstay, but the company once had to dig itself out of financial trouble.

In the mid '90s, Marvel resorted to selling the movie rights to some of its biggest characters in order to survive in a dying comic book market, according to Entrepreneur magazine. The brand had no choice but to focus on movies to become profitable again, but it also had to rely on lesser-known characters to turn the films into a success. Captain America, Iron Man and the Hulk were some of the characters that saved Marvel from this setback.

Myspace

Myspace

Before Facebook, there was Myspace. The social media platform is making a comeback as a social music sharing service.

According to CBS News,Myspace actually has more users than Vine and Snapchat. How did the dying brand manage to pull that off? By completely changing the design and aesthetic of its interface. "When the site was being redesigned, the goal was to create a platform where artists — not only musicians — could showcase their art on a platform that enhances and amplifies their work," Myspace's general manager Ron Nielsen told CBS News.

In this new platform, users can stream music but also connect with musicians and artists on a more personal level.

Netflix

Netflix

In 2011, Netflix almost died. That's right, the streaming service that is now producing hit series — the one that has become ingrained in our vocabulary through the expression "Netflix and chill" — almost disappeared.

According to Entrepreneur magazine, the brand learned the hard way not to increase the prices on its subscribers. By focusing on listening to its customers and providing them with simplicity, accessibility and original programming, Netflix became a power player in the content streaming industry.